Bitcoin rescue demand targets Hyundai Group headquarters

Source: Yellow Original Title: Bitcoin Ransom Demand Targets Hyundai Group Headquarters

Original Link: https://yellow.com/es/news/demanda-de-rescate-en-bitcoin-tiene-como-objetivo-la-sede-del-grupo-hyundai Hyundai Group and Hyundai Motor Group in Seoul received threatening emails on Friday demanding 13 cryptocurrency tokens to prevent explosions.

The threats came as South Korea faces an unprecedented wave of digital extortion against its largest corporations.

Police did not find any explosives after deploying special forces to both locations.

What happened

An email sent to the Hyundai Group headquarters in Jongno-gu threatened to detonate a bomb at 11:30 a.m. unless the company transferred 13 Bitcoin (BTC).

The message, valued at over $1.1 million at current prices, also warned of relocating the device to Hyundai Motor Group offices in Yangjaedong if the demand was not met.

Emergency calls were received around 11:42 a.m., and explosive disposal units were immediately dispatched to both locations in Seoul.

Authorities conducted thorough searches but found no suspicious devices.

The buildings were temporarily evacuated as a precaution.

Hyundai Group forwarded the threatening email to the addresses and employees of all its subsidiaries before alerting law enforcement.

Police classified the threat as a hoax but continue to investigate to identify the responsible party.

Why it matters

This is the latest attempt at cryptocurrency-related extortion in a series of cases since December 15 targeting South Korea’s major tech and industrial giants.

Samsung Electronics, Kakao, Naver, and KT received similar bomb threats via customer service platforms and online forms during the past week.

The threats have forced several companies to shift employees to remote work and divert security resources.

Kakao evacuated 110 employees from its Jeju headquarters on December 18 after receiving a comparable threat.

Investigators suspect the same individual or group is behind multiple incidents, although some posts appeared under stolen identities of students reporting impersonation.

The use of cryptocurrencies in ransom demands reflects a broader trend of digital extortion exploiting South Korea’s highly connected corporate infrastructure.

Authorities have intensified digital surveillance and inter-agency coordination to prevent disruptions at technological centers.

The pattern reflects global concerns about the convergence of cybersecurity and physical security, as digital access points become vectors for physical threats.